Nurse practitioner, John Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Natasha Brown's mission is to serve homeless veterans and coordinate medical care, food service, clothing needs and basic living needs to the hundreds of former warriors from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan who seek care at the John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Detroit.

Brown, an adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, is the primary medical provider at the Detroit VA Veterans Community Resource and Referral Center at 301 Piquette St., where she coordinates the H-PACT Center. H-PACT stands for homeless-patient aligned care team.

"There are innovative ways to help veterans because many times they come to appointments and due to limited resources they would be hungry. It would affect their diabetes and we would find them food and additional resources as social workers," Brown said.

Brown started working at the H-PACT Center in 2015 and estimates she has helped more than 500 homeless veterans with their outpatient medical, housing and food needs. She also coordinates any mental health or substance abuse counseling with other providers.

She also works closely with Gleaners Community Food Bank to coordinate about 60 home-delivered food packages each month to homeless and low-income veterans, who also receive various toiletries from H-PACT. Every Friday, Brown leads health talks for homeless veterans to answer questions they may have about medical or social issues.

But from the fall of 2015 to spring of 2016, Brown held a monthly Healthy Living and Learning Luncheon program for the veterans to give them information on services and a bite to eat.

It was here that she met Richard LaBelle, who at the time in early 2016 was a jobless and sick veteran.

"I received amazing care from Ms. Brown, and where I receive judgment from many people in other places, from her and her staff I get only kindness and caring and selfless service," said LaBelle, an Army veteran who served from 1983 to 1996 who nominated Brown for Crain's Health Care Heroes. "I am truly humbled, grateful, and thankful. As a religious person I think that Ms. Brown just might be part angel. If not, she certainly has a direct connection with God and goodness."

Brown recalls LaBelle and said with a chuckle that he used to call her his "brown angel."

"With the excellent help of the H-PACT staff, my medical issues are managed," said LaBelle. "My Type 2 diabetes is managed; my blood pressure is stabilized, among other ailments. I am employed and housed. Life is better now."

LaBelle now has a job with the Detroit Employment Solutions Corp., Mayor Mike Duggan's workforce development board. He also has a startup company called Complex Systems Experts Inc.

Brown said her veteran patients range in age from 23 up to 70, with average patients in their 60s having served in Vietnam.

"They can have a variety of issues with underlying mental health concerns," she said. "It is really refreshing to see them enter the clinic with obstacles, link them to social workers and see them overcome substance abuse or mental health issues and find permanent housing and jobs," Brown said.

"I encounter many patients that have success stories and are able to find jobs and housing," Brown said. "I really enjoy my role here. It keeps me humble. I hear testimony from the veterans, and it touches my heart."